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After the gloom of the past few days across eastern areas, we'll eventually see some fine, warmer weather here today. But we are currently in the middle of what is often a cool period. It's one of those quirks of the British climate or a singularity as it's known, and therefore todays more 'spring-like' conditions are unlikely to last.

For the North West, it's the reverse, with the recent sunshine replaced by cloud and some rain on a cold front. This'll bring a drop in temperature eventually to all and will steadily work its way across the country before finally reaching Kent tomorrow.

But that pesky mist, low cloud and patchy fog at first continue to affect the East and South East, but should eventually clear to leave much of England and Wales with a mostly fine day, although there is the risk of some sharp, thundery downpours developing in some eastern and southern regions this afternoon. A storm forecast has been issued.

The sunshine will make it noticeably warmer, especially in areas where it remained dull yesterday, with temperatures reaching 18 to 22C in mostly light winds. But along the exposed coasts of East Anglia and Kent in particular, a northerly breeze will feel chilly, keeping temperatures down here. Later Northumberland and the North West will see more cloud, with Cumbria, in particular, turning wet during the afternoon.

Across Northern Ireland, overnight rain clears to leave sunny spells and just a few showers, mainly towards Derry and Antrim. After a bright start towards Lothian and The Borders, Scotland also sees some rain; before here, too, it turns brighter from the North West with sunny spells. It becomes mainly dry, but the North and the West will have a few showers in a primarily light Westerly breeze - maximum temperatures here only 10 to 14C.

After a fine evening across the East and South, the front works slowly south-eastward across England and Wales after dark. But the rain on it should become somewhat lighter, with the North and Wales seeing clearer skies by morning. Over Scotland and Northern Ireland, there'll be clear spells, but with a few showers, mainly in the North and West, particularly towards dawn. Lowest temperatures 5 to 7C in the North, 7 to 11C in the South in the North West or Westerly breeze.

As we enter the new working week, it'll be the turn of the South East and parts of East Anglia to see some rain, which should have cleared Kent by mid-day. When it does so, you'll join much of the rest of the country on a reasonable but cooler day. There'll be some sunshine but with variable amounts of cloud that'll produce a few showers, mainly over Scotland, Northern Ireland and eastern England, in a primarily light breeze from a North Westerly quarter.

Across the far North of Scotland, you'll see some rain moving in through the day in a freshening West or South Westerly wind. Although feeling pleasant across the country in the sunny spells there'll be on offer, top temperatures of 11 to 14C in the North and 15 to 17C further South will be on the cool side for the time of year.

The evening sees skies tending to break, with fewer showers after dark leaving clear intervals in mostly light West or North Westerly breezes. Although mainly dry, it'll turn chilly with minimum temperatures of 4 to 8C, low enough to perhaps give a touch of ground frost in some rural 'hollows' of the North where skies stay clear. It could also turn cold enough across the Northern Isles for showers to turn wintry later, as North West winds draw air from the Arctic.

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Cooler air and rain moving southeast with warm sunshine and a ... - Netweather

Editors Note: The following is a brief letter from Ray Kurzweil, a director of engineering at Google and cofounder and member of the board at Singularity Group, Singularity Hubs parent company, in response to the Future of Life Institutes recent letter, Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter.

The FLI letter addresses the risks of accelerating progress in AI and the ensuing race to commercialize the technology and calls for a pause in the development of algorithms more powerful than OpenAIs GPT-4, the large language model behind the companys ChatGPT Plus and Microsofts Bing chatbot. The FLI letter has thousands of signatoriesincluding deep learning pioneer, Yoshua Bengio, University of California Berkeley professor of computer science, Stuart Russell, Stability AI CEO, Emad Mostaque, Elon Musk, and many othersand has stirred vigorous debate in the AI community.

Regarding the open letterto pause research on AI more powerful thanGPT-4, this criterion is too vague to be practical. And the proposal faces a serious coordination problem: those that agree to a pause may fall far behind corporations or nations that disagree. There are tremendous benefits to advancing AI in critical fields such as medicine and health, education, pursuit of renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels, and scores of other fields. I didnt sign, because I believe we can address the signers safety concerns in a more tailored way that doesnt compromise these vital lines of research.

I participated in theAsilomar AI Principles Conference in 2017 and was actively involved in the creation of guidelines to create artificial intelligence in an ethical manner. So I know that safety is a critical issue. But more nuance is needed if we wish to unlock AIs profound advantages to health and productivity while avoiding the real perils.

Ray KurzweilInventor, best-selling author, and futurist

Image Credit: DeepMind/Unsplash

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A Note From Ray Kurzweil on the Recent Call to Pause Work on AI More Powerful Than GPT-4 - Singularity Hub

Cultured meat is gaining momentum, with large production facilities under construction and the arduous approval process for the finished products inching forward. Most of the industrys focus thus far has been on ground beef, chicken, pork, and steak. Save for one startup that was working on lab-grown salmon, fish have been largely left out of the fray.

But last month an Israeli company called Steakholder Foods announced it had 3D printed a ready-to-cook fish fillet using cells grown in a bioreactor. The company says the fish is the first of its kind in the world, and theyre aiming to commercialize the 3D bioprinter used to create it.

Steakholder Foods didnt produce the fish cells it used to print the fillet. They partnered with Umami Meats, a Singapore-based company working on cultured seafood. Umami created the fish cells the same way companies like Believer Meats and Good Meat create lab-grown chicken or beef: they extract cells from a fish (in a process that doesnt harm it) and mix those cells with a cocktail of nutrients to make them divide, multiply, and mature. They signal the cells to turn into muscle and fat, which they then harvest and form into a finished product.

Steakholder Foods takes the harvested cells and adds them to a bio-ink that also contains plant-based ingredients (this is mostly because of the plant ingredients cheaper cost, which brings down the final cost of the fish fillet). Layers of cells are put down one after the other, the fillet growing until it looks like the photo above. An added advantage of the 3D printing process is that it gives the fillet a flaky texture, just like real fish when its cooked well.

The type of fish used for this fillet was grouper, a large-mouthed heavy-bodied fish that tends to live in warm seas. Umami says its lab-grown grouper is healthier than the ocean-swimming version since it doesnt contain any of the antibiotics, mercury, or microplastics that can unfortunately be found in wild and farmed fish.

Due to the resources it takes to raise animals like cattle and chickens and the emissions created by factory farming, eating meat has come to be seen by many as environmentally unfriendly. But farmed fish have their own set of problems; overfishing is depleting wild populations of all kinds of fish, including grouper, and warming waters are throwing off marine ecosystems natural balance and causing negative ripple effects throughout their food chains.

That said, is 3D printing fillets from a mix of fish and plant cells a viable solution? The cultured meat industry has come under fire due to the products high costs, scalability issues, and biological limitations, and fish is no different. Though raising whole animals to then slaughter them for just a few parts is obviously not ideal, its a system thats been in place for decades; wont it take decades to replace it, if replacing it is possible at all?

Umami CEO Mihir Pershad said, We want consumers to choose based on how it tastes and what it can do for the world and the planetary environment. And we want to take cost off the table as consideration. Thats a nice thought, but a bit unrealistic, especially in these times of high inflation and market uncertainty. Its a small fraction of consumers that can afford to choose products based on their environmental impact; the rest choose based on cost.

Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, is optimistic. As time goes by, the complexity and level of these products will be higher, and the prices linked to producing them will decrease, he said.

Umami has ironed out its production process for grouper and eel cells, and wants to add three more species to that list this year. The company hopes to bring its first products to market next year, starting in Singapore and then eventually the US and Japan.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently sampled the 3D printed grouper, making him the first prime minister to ever taste 3D-printed cultivated fish. Bet thats not a badge he was expecting to earn during his government tenure.

Time will tell whether 3D-printed fish fillets can replace fish caught in water. But if companies like Steakholder Foods and Umami Meats succeed in making their vision a reality, people, animals, and the planet will all be better off for it.

Image Credit: Shlomi Arbiv/Steakholder Foods

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This Real Fish Fillet Was 3D Printed From Cells Grown in a Lab - Singularity Hub

The concept of singularity, a point in the future when artificial intelligence (AI) and humans merge, has captivated the minds of technologists, futurists, and philosophers alike.

Often referred to as the Technological Singularity, this hypothetical event marks the moment when AI surpasses human intelligence, resulting in unforeseeable changes to human civilization.

In this article, we will delve into the origins of the singularity concept, the potential implications of AI-human fusion, and the ongoing debate surrounding its feasibility and ethical implications.

The term singularity was first popularized in 1993 by mathematician and science fiction author Vernor Vinge, who predicted that the rapid advancement of technology would lead to the creation of superintelligent machines. Since then, the concept has been further developed and refined by various experts, such as inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil. Kurzweil forecasts the singularity to occur around 2045, driven primarily by the exponential growth of computing power and the development of sophisticated AI algorithms.

The idea of singularity posits that the merging of AI and human intelligence will lead to unprecedented advancements in various fields, including medicine, space exploration, and environmental sustainability. For instance, the integration of AI into human biology could enable the development of advanced brain-computer interfaces, allowing humans to communicate seamlessly with machines, access vast repositories of knowledge, and even enhance their cognitive abilities.

However, the prospect of singularity also raises several ethical and philosophical concerns. Some argue that the merging of AI and humans could lead to a loss of individual autonomy, as people become increasingly reliant on intelligent machines for decision-making. Additionally, the rapid advancement of AI could potentially outpace our ability to develop the necessary ethical frameworks to ensure that these technologies are deployed responsibly and equitably.

The consequences of the singularity can be both positive and negative. Here are some potential outcomes:

There is also an ongoing debate surrounding the feasibility of achieving singularity. Some experts contend that our current understanding of AI and neuroscience is insufficient to predict or engineer such an event, while others maintain that breakthroughs in these fields are imminent, and the singularity may be closer than we think.

Regardless of the timeline or the likelihood of singularity, the concept has undeniably influenced research and development in AI and related fields. As we continue to explore the potential benefits and risks associated with AI-human fusion, it is crucial that we engage in open and thoughtful discussions to ensure that we harness the power of technology to enhance our lives while preserving our humanity.

The concept of singularity represents a bold vision for the future of AI and human civilization. While the potential benefits of AI-human integration are undoubtedly tantalizing, it is essential to balance our enthusiasm for technological progress with careful consideration of the ethical implications and the potential risks associated with this convergence. By approaching the singularity with both curiosity and caution, we can hope to navigate the uncharted waters of our rapidly evolving technological landscape, fostering a future where AI and humans can work in harmony for the betterment of all.

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Dawn of Singularity: When AI and Humans Merge - Mirage News

Julie Reeder

Publisher

Life as we know it is changing, probably more quickly than any time in history. That is just a hunch, based on how quickly technology is advancing and how culturally we seem to be more distracted by controversies and entertainment on our phones and less concerned and informed about important issues that actually have great consequences to our culture, our future, and our very existence.

We dont want to be political or religious so ignorance is bliss as to how corrupt our national political system, agencies and leaders are. We suspect something isnt right and we are uninformed about things like regulatory capture (industry controlling and funding government agencies that used to be objective and for the public good) which actually brings harm to our people.

We were tested during COVID and found to be willing to give up our freedom of speech out of fear of being exposed to disinformation, as well as other Constitutional freedoms.

We are fighting for medical freedom over our own bodies and our doctors are losing their licenses for having educated, yet differing, politically incorrect opinions from what the state and federal government have mandated as truth. Now the U.S. is considering giving away our freedom to the World Health Organization when another pandemic happens.

We would all be under the governance and control of the WHO, whose leader was placed in his position by China and is not even a medical doctor. Regardless of who the leader is or who put him in the position, we should be in control of our own country with people who we vote into office, because at the root its always about control. And very often the end justifies the means.

As things move quickly and leaders from the President and Congress to the WHO and the World Economic Forum scramble to control people, how much easier would it be in a world where we are all transhuman?

Soon the fight may extend past freedom of speech and personal medical freedom into transhumanism, artificial intelligence (AI), and singularity. These are hot complex topics that have been at the forefront of scientific and philosophical discussions for decades but more so right now. The idea of using technology to enhance human abilities and create intelligent machines has both advantages and dangers.

Have you ever heard of Human 2.0? Some believe it is the next phase of evolution, where we create machines that are more intelligent than we are. Elon Musk has repeatedly warned against AI, as he invests in it, that it could literally end our civilization and humanity.

Advantages of transhumanism and AI

Transhumanism is the belief that humans can and should use technology to enhance their physical, intellectual, and emotional capabilities. This philosophy promotes the use of genetic engineering, cybernetics, and other technologies to improve human lives. One of the primary advantages of transhumanism is the potential for increased lifespan and improved health. By using technology to enhance the human body, scientists could potentially eliminate many of the diseases and conditions that shorten human lifespans.

Similarly, the development of AI has the potential to revolutionize virtually every aspect of our lives. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and identify patterns that humans would not be able to detect. This technology can be used to improve healthcare, education, and many other industries. For example, AI-powered healthcare could help doctors diagnose and treat diseases more accurately and efficiently, potentially saving countless lives.

Dangers of transhumanism and AI

However, there are also many dangers. One of the most significant risks is that the development of these technologies could exacerbate existing social inequalities. For example, if only wealthy individuals have access to life-extending technologies, it could widen the gap between the rich and poor. Similarly, if AI-powered systems are primarily used by corporations and governments, it could lead to further concentration of power and decreased accountability.

There are also concerns about the potential for AI to become too intelligent and out of control. This scenario, known as "superintelligence," is often portrayed in science fiction as a catastrophic event that could lead to the extinction of humanity. While many experts believe that this outcome is unlikely, there is still a significant risk that AI could be used to carry out harmful actions, intentionally or unintentionally.

It makes me think of the Matrix movies where almost all the humans are hooked up to a pod living in a dream reality while serving as batteries for the matrix. Civilization and humanity are destroyed when humans no longer have the freedom to be human, to make decisions, to love, to travel, to experience our world, to serve and work for each other rather than a centralized power, and when we lose the ability to have a soul. Its one thing we believe separates us from machines and animals. We have a soul. We are creative, spiritual beings and sometimes unpredictable.

Futurist Ray Kurzweil, author of the book Age of Spiritual Machines, predicted in 1999 that machines with human-level intelligence would be available from affordable computing devices within a couple of decades, revolutionizing most aspects of life. He says nanotechnology will augment our bodies and cure cancer even as humans connect to computers via direct neural interfaces or live full-time in virtual reality.

Kurzweil predicts the machines "will appear to have their own free will" and even "spiritual experiences." He says humans will essentially live forever as humanity and its machinery become one and the same. He predicts that intelligence will expand outward from earth until it grows powerful enough to influence the fate of the universe, and goes on to say that Singularity will represent the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human, but that transcends our biological roots. There is disagreement on whether computers will one day be conscious.

Others believe that transhumanism, AI, singularity, and Human 2.0 are the dreams and inventions of wealthy men who want to find a way to cheat death, live forever and be their own God. Its also feared that while there could be some advantages, people may also be able to be controlled by the internet, electricity or other means.

How far is too far? We already have the knowledge of the world at our fingertips on our mobile devices. We already have the ability to have technology aid our hearing, eyesight, movement, etc. Neurolink takes things even further. We have to consider how far can we go before we are someone or something else entirely? And how easily can we be controlled? How compliant will we become by choice? What would be the implications to our society and our freedoms? What does it mean to be human?

There are complex issues that need to be researched and debated. People would do well to unhook from the matrix, ask questions, and be cautious of who is in control as we shape our technological future.

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Transhumanism, AI, Singularity - How far is too far? - Fallbrook / Bonsall Villlage News